Employee experience (EX) has become one of the most powerful differentiators for modern organisations. From attracting the right talent to driving productivity and retention, companies that intentionally design meaningful employee experiences consistently outperform their peers.
At greytHR’s Parichay webinar, moderated by Rakhi Gautam, industry leaders Anupriya Jain (former Chief of Staff, Lenskart) and Rosina Jose (Director – HR, Rakuten India) shared practical insights on how culture, technology and data together can transform EX into a true competitive advantage for organisations.
This blog captures the most compelling ideas from the session, including the pillars of employee experience, where HR technology makes the biggest impact, and how organisations can design EX that truly resonates with their people.
Employee Experience Was Always Strategic
The session began by reframing a common misconception that EX has “evolved” from an HR initiative into a strategic lever.
“I don’t think employee experience has evolved from an HR initiative to a strategic business lever,” said Anupriya Jain. “It always was a strategic business lever.”
Earlier, organisations focused on employee experience mainly to improve efficiency. Today, work demands emotional intelligence, collaboration and relationship-building.
“It’s very difficult to say, ‘I’ll bring one part of me to work and leave the rest at home.’ If you numb one emotion, you numb the others,” Anupriya added.
Candidates now evaluate organisations through culture cues: employee stories, social media and “Life at Company” pages.
“There’s a war for talent,” she said. “Beyond pay, people ask: How will I feel working here?”
The Three Pillars of Employee Experience
Rosina Jose outlined three pillars that consistently shape strong employee experiences.
1. Culture: The Foundation
“If you don’t build a culture of trust and shared beliefs, everything else starts breaking,” Rosina explained.
Culture determines whether employees feel safe to speak up, collaborate and grow. Without trust, no amount of technology can fix the experience.
2. Technology: The Enabler
“Employees compare your internal systems with the world outside,” Rosina said. “If you don’t evolve with technology, especially in HR, it derails the entire employee experience.”
Technology should simplify work, remove friction and free HR teams to focus on people, not paperwork.
3. Physical and Hybrid Work Environment
Post-pandemic, how and where people work has become central to EX.
“Whether it’s remote, hybrid or on-site, employees need a safe space to collaborate, share ideas and do deep work,” Rosina noted.
Where HR Technology Makes the Biggest Impact
With countless tools available, where should organisations focus first?
1. Onboarding and Pre-Onboarding
“Onboarding is where trust starts getting built,” Anupriya said. “Laptop delays, broken systems or poor communication create doubt before Day One.”
A seamless pre-onboarding and onboarding experience signals efficiency, care and professionalism and reduces early attrition.
2. Career Development
“The dip happens when people stop seeing their future in the organisation,” Anupriya explained.
Technology can proactively surface learning opportunities, internal roles and development paths before employees start looking outside.
3. Moments That Matter
Life and career milestones shape long-term perception.
“Returning from maternity leave, first promotions or becoming a people manager, these are moments people never forget,” Anupriya said. “Handled well, they build lasting loyalty.”
Making Digital Tools Truly Employee-Centric
Despite heavy investment in HR tech, many employees feel tools don’t improve daily work. Rosina believes the issue lies in how tools are chosen.
“Often, tools are rolled out because leadership wants them,” Rosina said. “But every employee's journey is unique. You have to co-create the experience with employees.”
Her rule of thumb:
“Use technology for transactions, and humans for feelings.”
Personalisation Through Data
Personalisation is now an employee expectation, not a luxury. Anupriya likened it to Netflix recommendations.
“Netflix says, ‘Because you watched this…’ We asked, why can’t HR do the same?” “When you’re doing something for the first time, you don’t even know what you’re missing. Data can tell you what people in similar situations typically need.”
She also emphasised making feedback more contextual and meaningful.
Data Without Action Breaks Trust
Rosina stressed the importance of closing the feedback loop.
“The first thing employees ask is, ‘What are you doing with this data?’ If you don’t act, they stop engaging.”
Sharing insights, creating action plans and communicating progress are critical to sustaining trust.
Final Takeaway
Summarising:
“Technology enables experience, but it’s human intervention that makes the real difference.”
The strongest employee experience strategies balance:
- Culture that builds trust
- Technology that removes friction
- Human empathy that addresses real needs
When these come together, employee experience stops being a buzzword—and becomes a true competitive advantage.
🎥 Watch the Full Webinar
This blog captures key highlights, but the full conversation is packed with deeper insights, real-life examples, and audience Q&A that couldn’t fit here.
👉 Watch the complete webinar recording to explore and revisit the discussion in detail:
- Practical EX strategies in action
- Leadership perspectives on culture and technology
- Audience questions on remote work, micromanagement and employer branding
